intravaginal devices can be used to vaginally administer an active agent to a female subject. Various benefits are associated with vaginal delivery of active agents. For example, intravaginal delivery can provide administration of the active agent to a subject while avoiding the first-pass effect in the liver. Active agents administered intravaginally can directly diffuse through the vaginal tissues to provide local or systemic effects. The ability to provide a local or systemic effect allows intravaginal delivery to treat numerous conditions within and outside the vaginal and/or urogenital tract such as hormonal dysfunctions, inflammation, infection, pain, and incontinence. As a result, intravaginal delivery has been considered an efficacious method for administering various active agents.
Several methods for delivering an active agent intravaginally exist in the art, such as for example, the use of intravaginal rings, intrauterine devices, and intravaginal pessaries. See e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,823,814; 4,607,630; 4,553,972; 4,286,587; and 4,249,531. Of these methods, intravaginal rings provide a versatile, comfortable method for delivering active agents which can be readily inserted and removed.
There is a need in the art for improved intravaginal devices capable of delivering active agents to the vaginal and/or urogenital tract, with the devices having increased physical integrity, safety, and comfort.